


they're only children

by InPrisonForSparkling



Series: Inheritance [2]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Angst, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I think anyway, M/M, Minor Character Death, Multi, Possession, Soft Gay Boys, The Author Regrets Nothing, a little violence, hoo boy, let's be honest it's going back to the kids' pov, mostly in the kinda pov of the parents, or smth like that idk, sleep? who's she? never heard of her, they on the run, we'll see, yes Lorel it's a gift
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:40:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 3,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25789744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InPrisonForSparkling/pseuds/InPrisonForSparkling
Summary: The founders of the Home for Lost SOULs committed murder. Everyone knows that.Except... they didn't.[CONTINUATION OF "they're just kids"]
Relationships: AfterDeath - Relationship, Blueberry/Red, CherryBerry, Errink, Error/Ink, Errorink, Freshpaper, Geno/Reaper, Goth/Palette Roller (Undertale), Gradient/Casey, Grasey, Mustardberry - Relationship, OC/OC, Paperfresh, Paperjam/Fresh, Poth - Relationship
Series: Inheritance [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1862998
Comments: 43
Kudos: 24
Collections: UTMV Multi-Chapter Works





	1. Closed Until Further Notice

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Onlyplatonicirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onlyplatonicirl/gifts).



> WELL LOREL SINCE YOU SEEM TO LIKE THIS SO MUCH I'M GIFTING THE SECOND PART TO YOU???

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have lost the power to summary

The Home for Lost SOULs was closed.

Error had expected nothing less, but it was still a bit of a disappointment. He knew everyone there was innocent, he knew it. No one there would kill someone.

He sighed, dialling Photoshop's phone number. Straight to voicemail. He decided to leave a message. "Hey, Photoshop. It's me. Listen, I've been worried about you. Could you message me or something? Just so I know you're okay. Bye, Sho." Sho was a nickname that Error would sometimes use for his daughter.

Almost immediately, a text from Photoshop came through. "mom please come here please im so scared they framed us again"

Error scanned the text again, to make sure he hadn't misread it. He typed out a response. "I'm coming don't worry. how do I get in"

Photoshop's reply came almost instantly. "portals @ where we used to watch undernovela"

Error typed a quick "ok", then tucked his phone into his pocket and went to find the portal. Sure enough, it was by the couch in the anti-void where he and Photoshop used to watch the Spanish drama. He stepped through to see Photoshop right by the portal, seemingly waiting for him.

Her eyesockets were wet with tears, and she looked so scared, though not at Error. "Mom..." She didn't even seem to have the strength to be excited. She looked up at him, tear tracks running down her face. "He... he came. Palette's nearly dead. And... and Goth... now he thinks we murdered those people."

"Who came?" Error asked, already dreading the answer.

Photoshop took a deep, shuddering breath.

"Nightmare."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi Lorel do you like your gift


	2. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ink and Error find out what the fuck is going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> terrible summary ik

When he'd heard the news about his children being murderers, Ink wasn't sure what to think.

When Goth came running to him, holding Palette's unconscious body and saying that Ink and Error's children had nearly killed the small paint-splattered skeleton, Ink just got more confused. Why in the multiverse would those kids kill someone?

A couple of days later, Palette woke up.

"Ughhh... where am I?" Palette sat up groggily.

"Safe. With us," Goth whispered, hugging him.

Palette looked around. "...Where're the rest of the Losts?" he asked.

Goth looked confused for a second. "Why do you want to know? They nearly killed you!"

Palette froze. "Wait, you think-" He laughed nervously. "Goth, the person who nearly killed me was _Nightmare_."

Now it was Ink's turn to freeze. They - his _kids_ \- had been framed.

* * *

"Nightmare." Error didn't outwardly show any emotion about the revelation, but Photoshop knew her "mother" well. She could tell he was only barely managing to conceal how scared he was.

Photoshop nodded wearily. "We figured out it was him pretty quickly - who else can shapeshift? - but obviously, no one would believe it. We've been hiding out for about a week now. A couple days ago, Nightmare framed us again. For Palette's near-death."

"...Damn. Do you need some supplies?" Error asked.

"Yes. Please."

* * *

Ink burst into the newsroom of _Good Morning, Multiverse!_.

"HOLY CRAP GUYS THE KIDS WERE FRAMED."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blep


	3. In Which There's Another Fucking Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ink talks to Mettaton, the kids get the news, and Nightmare... well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the home for lists

Mettaton blinked. "What do you mean, Ink?" he asked.

"Y'KNOW. THE FOUNDERS? OF THE HOME FOR LISTS OR WHATEVER," the artist replied. "APPARENTLY THEY WERE FRAMED. BY NIGHTMARE."

Mettaton blinked again. Then he seemed to realize the meaning behind Ink's rushed words. "...oh shit. The entire _multiverse_ is racing to capture them for a crime they didn't commit," Mettaton muttered, gathering up what appeared to be old scripts from his desk and throwing them out. He didn't look up as he asked, "May I ask where you got this information?"

"A firsthand witness," Ink stated. "Not of the Storyshift case, but you know how Palette Roller was nearly killed by, we assumed, the founders?" Mettaton nodded, still not looking up from his work. "Palette himself told me that it was Nightmare who attacked him."

Mettaton paused. "...Fuck."

Ink nodded. "I know, right?"

"I have to get a news story out about this. Thank you," Mettaton said, picking up a phone.

* * *

Casey hugged a young, crying girl, trying to comfort her. She was a kid of Frisk and Sans in some AU, and she'd just found out that in alternate timelines her parents tried to kill each other. This whole... thing was still pretty new to Casey, and he honestly had no idea what to say to the six-year-old sobbing into his shoulder.

Eventually, though, her crying subsided. She thanked Casey with surprising articulation for her age, then went on her way.

Gradient ran over to Casey, panting for breath. "Casey! They- the news- they've decided we're innocent!"

* * *

Red fidgeted in his seat uncomfortably. What'd he even do to deserve the attention of the oh-so-great _Lord of Darkness_? He really needed to be, like, anywhere else right now.

Said Lord of Darkness sipped a glass of wine menacingly. Honestly, that guy was able to make just about anything look menacing. "We're all here, correct?" Nightmare asked the group sitting around the table. Horror nodded lazily, Killer grinned and spun around a knife, Dust seemed to be arguing with something that wasn't there, and Red just raised his hand meekly. Nightmare raised an eyebrow, sighed, and continued. "Well, my little charade is up. They've all figured out by now that it was me."

Nightmare paused, then smirked. "But I have another plan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i do not ship frans


	4. In Which The Other Fucking Plan Is Implemented

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey's missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hhhhhh

_The next day_

Casey was nowhere to be found.

At first, Gradient thought he'd just gone on a walk. But as the hours ticked by and Casey didn't return, Gradient started to get anxious. He thought he would've heard any struggle, since he and Casey shared a room (although Gradient had a strange amount of nightmares that night, he wasn't sure if he would've even woken up).

But Casey was gone.

* * *

Of course, Nightmare knew where he was.

Casey sat alone in Nightmare's dungeon, wrists and ankles shackled to the wall. He'd tried to put up a fight when he'd woken up here, but it was no use.

He saw Killer lazily wandering down the stairs. "Boss told me to 'requesition' you from the dungeon," the knife-wielding skeleton drawled. "Not sure why, but it's not my place to ask." Killer roughly released Casey from the chains, handcuffed him, and dragged him upstairs.

"Argh, watch it!" Casey shouted, trying to break Killer's grip on his wrists.

"And what'll you do if I don't, kid?" Killer asked, smirking.

"I'm taller than you!" Casey responded angrily.

"Doesn't mean I'm not older."

Casey huffed. "Where the hell is this Nightpear guy anyway?"

Killer choked. " _Nightpear_?! Oh, man, you are so dead."

Casey stared at him, unimpressed. "Do I look like I care?"

Killer wheezed. "Okay, I do _not_ get to call you 'kid' anymore."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> do i even actually exist anymore,,,,,,


	5. Aura

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey is, thankfully, rather quick to figure things out, and Strawberry gets an unexpected phone call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i mean  
> here

Killer continued to lead Casey through the labyrinthine halls of Nightmare's castle, giggling and muttering "Nightpear, oh my god..." every so often.

Although he wasn't about to admit it, Casey was, in scientific terms, _pretty goddamn scared_. He could hardly be blamed - the castle was basically populated by murderers.

Eventually, they got to the (rather extravagant) throne room, where Nightmare himself was waiting for them.

Casey had heard stories about the goop-covered skeleton, heard descriptiions of him, but he wasn't prepared for _this_.

The self-proclaimed Lord of Darkness was covered, head to toe, in some viscous, dark substance. His single eyelight shone bright cyan, and tentacles waved behind him as if they had a mind of their own.

Nightmare smirked. "Good afternoon."

Casey did nothing but nod stiffly in response. God, it was almost like this guy had an aura of... fear...

Casey remembered Lux saying something about that once. _"Both Mom and Uncle have an aura - Mom has a positive one, Uncle has a negative one. They can change exactly what emotions their auras project, like Uncle could make his **fear**. You can break the power of the auras, though. Just realize what they're doing to you!"_

Right now, Casey was only really interested in the last part. Suddenly, his mind was clearer, and he wasn't so scared anymore. Nightmare let out a barely audible hiss.

Nightmare quickly regained his composure. "I assume one of my useless brother's offspring told you about the auras?"

Casey nodded. He was slightly amazed at how much Nightmare's magic had been affecting him, and how much braver he felt now that the influence was gone. He looked around the darkly beautiful castle (he could swear there was blood on one of the walls). "Nice place ya got here."

Nightmare blinked, surprised. "Thank... you...?" he replied uncertainly.

* * *

Casey was still nowhere to be found.

No matter where the Losts looked, no matter who they asked, they were still no closer to finding their missing friend.

Gradient barely talked anymore. Instead, he holed himself up in his room, trying to find any scrap of evidence that might lead to finding Casey.

Then Strawberry got the phone call.

She'd been sitting on the couch, trying to make sense of just how crazy her life had gotten since moving to the Home, when her phone rang. It was from Red, her "mother".

She answered listlessly. "Hi."

Red's voice was urgent, quiet, as if he really didn't want to be overheard. "Strawberry. Casey's here, in Nightmare's castle. He's alright for now but I can't tell what Nightmare's planning. You need- mmf!"

Strawberry heard a deep, silky voice say, "My, my. What have we here?"

And the line went dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh nu Red


	6. Thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...what happened to Casey?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp.

"Wait, what? What are you- oh god no please leave me alone please _please PLEASE_ -"

Casey's screams echoed through the corridors long after he stopped making a sound.

* * *

Strawberry ran through the house, short heels clacking on the floor. "GRADIENT YOU LITTLE-" She huffed impatiently, then knocked loudly on Gradient's door. "MOM JUST TOLD ME WHERE CASEY IS. THEY'RE BOTH IN DANGER."

Gradient slammed open the door, wide-eyed. "Where," was all that he said.

"Nightmare's castle," Strawberry panted.

"I'll call the others," Gradient said, nodding. He swiftly turned on his heel and, indeed, called the others.

They quickly set off, with no idea of what was to come.

* * *

It was a pity having to sacrifice a couple of servants, but Nightmare did what he had to. After all, it was necessary to test his new toy's strength.

The boy slashed through the servants' clothes and SOULs like his knife was only going through butter. He grinned sadistically as the poor monsters turned to dust.

Nightmare knew it was wrong to make the boy suffer like this. He didn't care. Since when were morals a concern of his?

The Lord of Darkness nodded curtly at the boy. "Acceptible. Your playmates will be arriving shortly."

The boy froze, then a smile just a little too wide spread across his face. "...Playmates?"

The boy's voice was deeper, rougher than normal.

He didn't sound like himself.

He _wasn't_ himself.

The thing that used to be Casey laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *It's so cold...


	7. That Isn't Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gradient has a difficult time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm just really confused as to why my writing's improved so much during the course of this???? i started it like maybe a week ago??  
> anyway prepare yourselves

Gradient burst through the door of the castle, only to be met by snickers from the couch. Dust, Horror and Killer were sitting on it, staring at him and smirking.

"What?!" he demanded. "Okay, no, don't answer that. Tell me where Casey is!"

Dust chuckled. "Right behind you, my friend."

Gradient whipped around to see Casey was, indeed, right behind him. But... something was off. That smile was too wide. More like a predator baring its teeth than a smile-

Gradient choked.

There was dust on Casey's clothes.

* * *

PJ was starting to get worried.

For whatever insane reason, Gradient had insisted on going alone. It'd been two hours and there wasn't any word from PJ's brother. PJ knew how dangerous Nightmare's gang could be - and the sick, twisted tortures they'd use if you didn't cooperate with them.

So, understandably, he was a little worried about Gradient.

He really had no idea what the poor boy was going through.

* * *

"C-Casey...?" Gradient asked shakily.

Casey grinned. "Sort of."

Nightmare walked into the room, smiling. "You see, I simply allowed a... what are they called? Ah yes, _player_ to control his body. That isn't Casey, I'm afraid to say."

Gradient backed away. "No. No, no, no, please, this can't-"

Casey - whoever it was - ran up to Gradient and readied their knife.

Gradient didn't want to hurt Casey, but it seemed like he didn't have a choice. He leapt upwards, pulling strings from nowhere and wrapping them around Casey, but whoever was taking him over broke the strings with ease and wrestled Gradient to the ground.

"Casey... please..." Gradient begged, trying to push the other boy off of him.

Casey stopped. For a moment, his eyes softened and he lowered his weapon. "...Gray?"

"Yes! Yes, please, it's me, come back!" Gradient thought that maybe, just maybe, he'd gotten through to Casey.

"Gray... I..." Casey's eyes hardened. "Run."

"Wh-"

" _Run_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eee picture  
> I drew the picture,,,


	8. I'll Try

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey gets Gradient to run, and PJ and Gradient have a chat.
> 
> can't add notes for some reason smh

Everything was fuzzy in Casey's mind. It would've been so much easier to just give in, float in nothingness.

But Gray was calling him. He could stay awake. For Gray.

It shouldn't have been so hard to keep control over his own body. There was definitely another force there, whispering, telling him to give up. But he wouldn't, he _couldn't_ , not now.

He had to make sure Gray and the rest of the Losts were safe.

"Gray... I..." Casey's eyes hardened. "Run."

"Wh-"

" _Run_." Casey pushed Gradient towards the door. "Tell the others. About what's happened to me. Y-you need to get away from me... I... I'm not safe."

"But-"

"Please," Casey pleaded. "I don't want to hurt you, but if you don't leave now, I literally won't have a choice."

Gradient glanced from Casey, to the door, and back to Casey. He took a sharp breath. "Okay," he muttered. "Just... stay safe, okay?"

Casey smiled weakly. "I'll try, Gray."

* * *

As soon as Gradient walked in the door, PJ assaulted him with an onslaught of questions.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt? Did they notice you? Is Casey-" PJ stopped talking as he realized that Gradient was alone. "...where's Casey?"

"Still in the castle, as far as I know," Gradient replied wearily.

"What? But I thought-"

"That I was there to rescue him? Yes. I was. But..." Gradient shuddered.

Once he'd finished explaining the situation to PJ, Gradient flopped onto the couch.

"You're telling me that your boyfriend is _possessed_?" PJ asked incredulously.

"Pretty much," Gradient sighed in response, apparently too tired to dispute the claim that Casey was his boyfriend.


	9. Drowning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red questions his life decisions and Casey swims.

Red shuddered as he heard the boy's insane laughter from above. He - Red - had been locked in the dungeons for 'aiding an enemy'. An enemy who just so happened to be his own daughter.

He didn't approve of Nightmare's plan to hurt Casey and his friends like that, but as a subordinate - one who'd broken quite a few rules in his time in the gang - he didn't get a say in the plans, which frustrated him to no end. He wished there was some way to help the kids.

* * *

It was less fuzzy now. Instead, Casey felt more like he was drowning - and, again, it would be so easy to just let go. To give up, and float there in nothingness forever.

***But it refused.**

Casey was stronger than that. He had to stay. He... knew it was for someone, but he could barely even remember what they looked like now. A skeleton, definitely. Lime green teeth and black bones and the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen-

Casey shook his head. He had to stay focused. If he was drowning, surely he was in some kind of water. He could swim up, right? It was worth a shot, at least.

Casey swam, and he started to remember things. He had to stay for Gradient, _Gray_ , his... uh... what exactly were they to each other? Casey still wasn't sure. He smiled a little to himself. They could figure that out when he got home.

Home. The Home for Lost SOULs. Casey started to remember that place, the people there.

He remembered the way Gradient used to get sad at the mention of parents, and how the small skeleton now smiled at the thought of his own.

Casey remembered the awkward ways he'd met Ink and Error, the kids he met every day at the Home.

He squinted as he saw the light just beyond the surface of the water.

He was nearly there.


	10. King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's some news.

Gradient didn't know what to do with himself. He didn't know what to do about Casey.

He _definitely_ didn't know what to do with the news.

_Good Morning, Multiverse!_ came on the TV just like it did every day. But the usually loud and extravagant Mettaton looked scared, like he had on the day that the Losts had been framed.

The robot gave a terrified glance at something off-camera, before turning back and clearing his throat. "I... have some important news for you all. T-the Lord of Darkness... has taken over the multiverse."

Gradient's mouth dropped open.

Nightmare walked on-screen, smirking. "Good morning." He paused for a moment. "I am Nightmare, your new king."

* * *

Casey shot out of bed, panting. Wait, was it... a dream...?

He looked around, and on closer inspection, this was not his room - either in the Home for Lost SOULs or England. It was far fancier than he would've picked, and the size of the bed was just stupid, but it wasn't bad.

Then Casey realized just where he was.

It wasn't like he'd _left_ Nightmare's castle.

* * *

Gradient couldn't stop pacing.

As it turned out, all the targeting of the Losts by Nightmare was a ruse - a distraction from the real plan.

Which was to conquer the multiverse.

And, apparently, Nightmare got what he wanted.


	11. Phone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey learns about the current situation. He also makes a phone call.

Killer opened the door into the bedroom.

Casey froze. He was certain that he wasn't meant to be in control of his body right now, at least according to Nightmare's gang. Killer would notice immediately.

Killer glanced up at Casey, eyebrow raised. "Ya got rid of the player, huh? Good job."

"Wait, what?"

Killer chuckled at Casey's bewildered expression. "I said good job. There's not many humans who can resist a player - pretty much every Frisk ever being a prime example."

Casey blinked. "No, I meant... don't you-"

"Work for Nightmare? Yes. But he honestly couldn't give a shit about you right now. Too busy ruling the entire multiverse with an iron fist," Killer responded, rolling his eyes. Or he would have, if his eyelights were visible.

Casey, however, was too shocked to notice. "...excuse me? What do you mean, _ruling the entire multiverse_?"

Killer shrugged. "Meant what I said. Targeting you kids was a ruse. He just wanted to distract people from the fact that he was slowly taking over the multiverse."

"...oh shit." Suddenly, Casey jumped. "Wait, is Gray okay?!"

Killer glanced at the panicked boy in front of him. "Gradient? He's fine. Like I said, Boss couldn't give a shit about you kids right now."

Casey let out a sigh of relief. "Well, that's good, I guess..." He paused for a moment. "D'you think I can go home?"

Killer shrugged. "Do whatever you want, kid."

Casey rushed past Killer and out the door of the bedroom, until he got to a small table. His phone was haphazardly tossed onto it. He stuffed the phone in his pocket and kept running.

Once he was out the gates of the castle, he took it out and dialled Gradient's number.

"Hello?"


	12. Twenty-Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We learn a little bit about how things have been in the few short hours of Nightmare's rule, and Casey makes a phone call. (There sure are a lot of phone calls in this series!)

Dark.

That was the best way to describe life under Lord Nightmare's rule.

Everyone was always gloomy, sad, angry - it felt like there was never any joy anymore. Any happiness.

Dream hadn't been seen since the announcement. He'd just... disappeared. Ink and Blueberry had similarly vanished.

The one place that was safe, the one refuge, was the Home for Lost SOULs. Yes, people felt a little stressed - of _course_ they did - but it was a lot better than being _out there_.

It'd been no more than five hours since the announcement when Gradient got the call.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Gray, it's me, Casey," the caller - apparently Casey - replied. He sounded a little out of breath, as if he'd ben running. "That... _thing_ that was controlling me is gone."

"Well then, tell me something only Casey woud know. What were we talking about before our second kiss?"

"We only kissed once," Casey responded.

"...Okay, you've passed the first test. But. How many times, as of when you were kidnapped, had Palette gotten his head stuck in a bucket?" Gradient knew that only he and Casey had kept count.

Casey laughed a little, then responded confidently, "Twenty-six."

"Oh my stars, it _is_ you! Casey, I was so worried.... wait." Gradient paused. "Have you heard the news?"

"About Nightmare? Yeah." Casey's nonchalant tone turned to concern. "Is he really..."

Gradient sighed, adjusting his glasses. "He's an... interesting ruler. He doesn't really do much, just sits on his throne making everyone miserable with pure willpower. Although..." He hesitated. "No one has seen the Star Sanses since the news broke. It's only been a couple of hours, so they're probably fine, but..." Gradient trailed off, not wanting to finish the thought.

"Hmm..." Casey really wasn't sure what to do now. He'd escaped the castle, but he wasn't sure if he should go back to the Home yet.

"Well? What are you waiting for, silly? Get your ass over here!" Gradient demanded suddenly.

Casey burst into laughter.


	13. xoxo 2: Electric Boogaloo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hug. Kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp. I accidentally posted this chapter, but honestly, I don't think I can continue it much- so here

As soon as Casey arrived at the Home, he was immediately subjected to a hug pile.

"Agh! Guys, what the hell!" he yelled, struggling to release himself.

Palette giggled. He'd fully recovered from Nightmare's attack the week before, but right now he was sandwiched between Casey and PJ, somehow hugging them both. "You shall not escape, Casey!"

"But-"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH." Gradient grinned, hugging Casey tighter.

Casey snorted, but shut up anyway.

"Kiss. Kiss. Kiss," PJ chanted, smirking.

Palette joined in. "Kiss. Kiss. Kiss!"

Gradient blushed a little, pushing PJ away. "N-no, silly-"

Casey kissed him. Palette cheered.


	14. The Gloom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We're introduced to the effects of the Gloom, Strawberry worries, and Photoshop plans.
> 
> (This will be continued in the next book in the series.)

_Two weeks later_

The only place the Gloom hadn't gotten to was the Home for Lost SOULs.

The Gloom was the name for the, well, _gloom_ that was cast over the multiverse under Nightmare's rule. It was almost tangible, a heavy feeling that washed over whoever was unlucky enough to feel its effects; it crushed your very SOUL with despair, anger, hate - there were too many emotions mixed in to name.

Most of all, though, it crushed your hope - the one thing that, in large enough amounts, could dispel the Gloom.

The one chance you had, once under the Gloom's effects, was to hold on to every shred of hope, every last drop, no matter what about; even simple hope - for a clear night sky, perhaps - could save you.

The Gloom was something like a sickness, and the Losts seemed the only ones immune.

* * *

Strawberry walked the streets of the Home, the short heels of her boots clacking on the pavement. She was lost in a tangle of worried thoughts - some about her parents, both missing, presumably held captive by Nightmare; some about her friends, evidently stressed, obviously with worries of their own.

She shook her head. She really didn't need to think about that right now. Of course, she immediately started to worry about something else.

Photoshop was fine. Even though she'd holed herself up in her room for no apparent reason, and wouldn't come out, she was fine.

Strawberry's kinda-not-really-but-definitely-crush was fine.

Photoshop, meanwhile, was deep in thought herself.

However, friends and family were not the things she was worried about. She was too busy planning to think about that.

She hadn't told anyone about her plan yet; she was too nervous that they might reject it. She knew it was risky at best, and downright deadly at worst, but it was the best that they had.

And stars knew they needed it.

They needed a plan to defeat Nightmare.


End file.
